Device for color coding insulated conductors



Sept. 16, 1952 H. D. ISENBERG DEVICE FOR COLOR CODING INSULATEDCONDUCTORS 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed July 26, 1949 COVER EXTRUDING INVENTOR.H4115 D. [serzbcry !I 8% may;

mm 3 m NW ma W I H. D. ISENBERG DEVICE FOR COLOR CODING INSULATEDCONDUCTOR-S Sept. l6, 1952 Flled July 26 1949 Patented Sept. 16,- 1952 1UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'DEVIGE'FOR canon CODING INSULATEDCGNDUCTORS ,Hans- D. Isenberg, Wilmette, Ill. AppllcationsJulyzfi;1949', Serial No. 106,825

iaclaims. (o1..r1=8-4.12)

l hepresent invention relates to apparatus'for makinginsulatedconductors and morep'articrularlyto an improved device for :formingcoded stripes; on an insulated. conductor.

Color coding. of insulated conductors to facil itate: circuit. wiringoperations is well. known; Onegof mostncommon. methods; of .colorcodingv insulated conductors. is that; or: using. differentlycoloredmateri'al', such, for;example,,.as. varnished.

cambrics, or. cotton braids oi'difierent; colors; as the-outerinsulating .coveringsior the conductors. However. when. certain; types;or insulating; ma;- terials sucht .for example; as thermoplastic: ma.-ter als,. are; used. to. form the outer insulating: coverings"forthaconducton, thismethodof. color. coding is; not economicallyfeasible. 'Moreoyer, the. wiring; procedures. vemploweclin. certain industrieszrequire. more elaboratecolor coding than isyprovided merely bysolid. color identification of, conductors having; given.eleetricalpharacteristics;v

hccordingl l. it ispan object of: the present; in-.-.

' to produce a plurality of displaced spiral stripes.

of. diiferent colorsan the outer surface: 'ofa continuouslyqmovinginsulated conductor andwhich is readilgradiustable to form. different.colored stripe combinations. and. is readily adaptable; for use. incolor coding insulated. conductors having;

difierentoutside.diameters.:-

5 1 I Itisasstill. further object:- of-x the-inventionxiftoprovide adevice of. the. character-1 describedwhiclr.

also assists informing thermoplastic. insulating materialinto' conductorcoverin s of: uniform: diameteriand wall. thickness. incident. to.formation.

of: .OOIOI'ZOOGES on. the: surfaces: oi: the conductor.

coverings;

still another object. or the-.inventionitd provideadevice of thecharacter described which,

simple in construction andjarrangement-and.

fully automatic in operation.

The invention, both as to its organization and methodof operation;together with further objfectsiand advantages thereof, will best beunderstood -hy reference to the followingspecification taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates assegment of an insulatedlconductor having spirallyarranged stripes of different'colors incorporated in the insulating ma--terial thereof through use of the proved color coding device;

- 2.: diagrammatically illustrates apparatus, including the/presentimproved. color c'oding'detvice,. for forming the insulated cable shownin present im- Fig.3. is .a. sectional view of the present im proveddevicepfor' forming the coding stripes of difierent colors on theinsulation of the insulated conductor. shown inFig. 1;

-1Eig 4; isa n end view-0f. a bushing; forming one:

of; the components ofthe device shown in Fig. 3:;

Fig. 5- is. a. side view of. the bushing shcwnin 'Fig. 6 is asectionalview taken along'the lines 6-6 in Fig. 5;, and V si n is an. end View athe rotatable head. embodied: in the color coding device shown in.

Fig, 3.. I

Referri-nghow to the drawings and more par-- ticularly to Fig. 1thereof, theinsulated conductor [0. there. illustrated is formed. by theapparatus. shown; in Fig. 2. and color coded by the. device.

embodied inthe apparatus of Fig. 2 andshown more particularly in Figs-3to 'l, inclusive. This insulated conductor comprises a central strandedconductor. lil. having extruded thereon an insulating covering.consisting of a thermoplastic insulating material, suclnfor example, as.polyethylene, nylon or one of the polyvinyl chloride. plastic materials..For identification purposes,

the insulated conductor 10 has. vfour colored spiral stripes 13, 1'4,1'5 and I6 o'f difierentcoldrsimpregnated in the insulating cover l2thereof". One of these stripes. i. e, the stripe. l3} has, a widthsubstantially greater than the width of each ofthe other three stripes:This stripe is known as the master stripe, whereas; the threenarrower'stripes M iii-and I6 of uniform width areknown as the ancillarystripes; For insulated, conductors adapted fordifierent uses or having;

different! electrical characteristics, the" wide or master stripe" 3mayhavediiferent colors, with corresponding changes in the colors of'theancil- .lary stripes l4,- l'5 'andl,6; Referring now morep'articulariyto Fig-;'2"of the drawings, the apparatus there illustrated for formingthe insulated cable I comprises a cover extruding unit H, the presentimproved color coding device I8 and a cooling unit [9 arranged tooperate in tandem in the order named. In the illustrated arrangement ofthe apparatus, the color coding device I8 is provided with a rotatablehead Ida which is rotated about the cable l0 and with a mountingpedestal I8b which is employed to mount the device on the conductor exitend of the cover extruding unit ll. The cover extruding unit may be ofany desired commercial type capable of extruding a uniform layer ofthermoplastic insulating material upon a solid conductor or a strandedconductor in a semiplastic state and forming the insulating materialinto a cover of the desired thickness and diameter. A bare conductor IIin the form of single strand wire or multi-strand cable is fed to thecover extruding unit H from a supply spool 29 over idler pulleys 2!, 22,23 and 24 which are utilized to change the direction of movement of theconductor. For the purpose of rotating the rotatable head [8a of thecolor coding device I8 about the insulated conductor It as it exits fromthe extruding unit II, this head is provided with a drive pulley I80around which the conductor I I is wrapped as it travels between the twoidler pulleys 2I and 22. Upon exiting from the cooling unit I9, theinsulated cable I0 is spooled on a take-up spool 25.

'In considering the operation of the above-described apparatus to formthe insulated conductor I8, it will be understood that the take-up spool25 is driven from suitable drive means, not shown, through a slipclutch, and that the supply spool 20 is frictionally braked to impedeits rotation so that the conductor II is maintained under tensionbetween the supply and take-up spools continuously during its travelthrough the apparatus between these two spools. As the bare conductorpasses through the extruding unit I'I, thethermoplastic cover formingmaterial is extruded onto this conductor and formed to produce aninsulating wall of the desired thickness on the conductor. As theinsulated cable I0 thus formed exits from the cover extruding unit I!the insulating material extruded thereon remains in a semiplastic state.Upon exiting from the cover extruding unit I7, the insulated conductorpasses through the color coding device I8. In this device, the head I8ais rotated about the cable in through the driving action supplied bymovement of the bare conductor II around the driving pulley 180. Thusthe head 18a is rotated to produce the-diiferently colored spiralstripes I4, l5 and I6 in the surface layer of the insulating covering I2in the manner more fully explained below. After exiting from the colorcoding device it the finished cable is run through the cooling unit I9to complete the thermoplastic setting operation, following which it isspooled for shipment on the take-up spool 25. V

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 3 to '7, inclusive, of thedrawings, the present improved color coding device I8 is thereillustrated as comprising the supporting pedestal I8b, the rotatablehead I8a and the driving Pulley I80, all referred to inthe precedingparagraph. In the arrangement illustrated, the pedestal [8b is used tomount the device upon the exit end of the cover extruding unit I'I. Itwill be understood, how-- ever, that this device may be separatelysupported independently of the cover extruding unit so as to bephysically divorced from the other components of the cable formingapparatus. As best shown in Fig. 3, the rotatable head I311, comprises acentral body member 26 having a hollow shaft portion 21 extendingoutwardly from the center thereof which is journaled for rotation upon abearing extension 28 of the pedestal I8b by means of ball bearings 29.

In order to provide angularly spaced reservoirs within the central bodymember 26 for receiving the colored plastic materials used in formingthe spiral stripes I3 to I6, inclusive, on the cable It], this member isbored radially inward from the peripheral edge thereof to the centerthereof at four equally spaced points around its periphery in the mannerillustrated in Figs. 3 and '7 of the drawings. Four plastic materialreceiving reservoirs 33a, 30b, 30c and 30d for respectively receivingand holding dilferently colored plastic materials are thus formed in thepart 26. It will be understood that as many such reservoirs may beprovided as are required for th formation of a particular number ofcoding stripes on the cable I6. The inner ends of the reservoirs 30a,30b, 30c and 30d each communicate with an axially centered opening 3!through the member 36 within which a bushing 32 is detachably mounted;

The bushing 32 has a central opening 33 extending axially thereofthrough which the cable It passes in traversing the device I8 and isalso provided with four circumferentially spaced ports or channels 34a,34b, 34c and 34d through the wall thereof which communicate with theinner ends of the reservoirs 30a, 30b, 30c and 30d to transmit thecolored plastic materials from these reservoirs to the surface of theinsulating covering I2 as the cable I0 passes through the centralopening 33. As best shown in Figs. 3 and 6, the ports 34b, 34c and 34d,are utilized informing the ancillary'stripes I4, I5 and I6. For thpurpose of detachably mounting the bushing 32 in the member 26 with themaster stripe forming port 3441 in registry with the opening into adesired one of the four reservoirs 30a, 30b, 30c and 30d and with thethree other ports 34b, 34c and 34d respectively in registry with theopenings into the other three reservoirs, the bushing 32 is providedwith a squared end portion 35 which seats Within a squared openingformed in an internal flange 36 in the member 26. It will be understoodthat the squared end portion 35 of the bushing 32 is adapted to enterthe squared opening in the flange 36 in any one of four right"-angularly displaced settings of the bushing 32 relative to the member26. A cap 31 threaded 3017,3110 and-30d under pressure and of forcing,

the materials through the ports 34a, 34b, 34c, 34d onto the surface ofthe insulated conductor l0, each reservoir is closed-at the outer end bya spring pressed piston which may be removable therefrom to permitrefilling of the reservoir as required. Thus the outer end of thereservoir 30a is closed by a piston 38a whichlis springloaded by. meansof a spiralspring 39a interposed between the pistonanda closure cap 40athreaded into the outer end of the reservoir barrel. respondingcomponents 380, 39c and 400 are .utilized to close the reservoir 30c andto maintain the plastic material deposited in this reservoir underpressure. f.

Cor-

2. Apparatus for forming a coding stripe on an insulated conductor,comprising means definin areservoir for the coding material, a bushinghaving a central opening of fixed size'adapted to be traversed by saidinsulated conductor, said bushinghaving a stripe forming port throughthe wall thereof for transmitting the coding material from saidreservoir to the surface of said insulated conductor, means for movingsaid insulating conductor through said opening, and means for rotatingsaid reservoir and said bushing about said insulated conductor as saidinsulated conductor traverses said central openinggthereby to form aspiral stripe along the surface of said conductor. r 3. Apparatus forforming a coding stripe on an insulated conductor, comprising meansdefining a reservoir for the coding material, a bushing having'a centralopening of fixed size adapted to be traversed by said insulatedconductor, said bushing having a stripe forming port through the wallthereof for transmitting the coding materialffrom said reservoir to thesurface or said insulated conductor, means for pulling said insulatedconductor through the central opening of said bushing, and means forrotating said reservoir and bushing about said insulated conductor at anangular speed which is directly related to the linear speed of saidinsulated conductor through said bushing, thereby to form a spiralstripe on the surface of said insulated conductor.

4. Apparatus for forming a coding stripe on an insulated conductor,comprising means defining a reservoir for the coding material, a bushinghaving a central opening of fixed size adapted to be traversed by saidinsulated conductor, said bushing having a stripe forming port throughthe wall thereof for transmitting the coding material from saidreservoir to the surface of said insulated conductor, means for pullingsaid insulated conductor through the central opening of said bushing,and means actuated by linear movement of said conductor for rotatingsaid reservoir and bushing about said insulated conductor at an angularspeed which is directly related to the linear speed of said insulatedconductor through said bushing, thereby to form a spiral stripe on thesurface of said insulated conductor..

5. A device for forming differently colored coding stripes on aninsulated conductor, comprising a'striping head provided with aplurality of angularly displaced reservoirs for coding materials ofdifferent colors, and a bushing carried'by said headand provided with acentral opening of fixed size adapted to be traversed by said insulatedconductor, said bushing having angularly displaced stripe forming portsthrough the wall thereof each communicating with a different one of saidreservoirs for transmitting the coding materials from, said reservoirsto the surface of said'insulated conductor. 7

6; A device for forming differently colored coding stripes on aninsulated conductor,- comprising a rotatable striping head provided witha plurality of angularly displaced reservoirs for coding materials ofdifferent colors, a bushing carried by said head and; provided with acentral opening of fixed size adapted to be traversed bysaid insulatedconductor, said bushing having angularly displaced stripe forming portsthrough-the wall materials from said reservoirs to the'surface ofsaid'insulated conductor, and means for rotating said headabout saidinsulated conductor.

7. A device for forming differently colored coding stripes on aninsulated conductor, comprising a rotatable striping head provided witha plurality of angularly displaced reservoirs for coding materials'ofdifferent colors, a bushing carried by said head and provided with acentral opening of fixed size adapted to be traversed by said insulatedconductor, said bushing having angularly displaced stripe forming portsthrough the wall thereof each communicating with a different one of saidreservoirs for transmitting the coding materials from said reservoirs tothe surface of said insulated conductor, and means actuated by movementof said conductor'for-rotating said head about said insulated conductorat an angular speed directly related to the linear speed of saidconductor through the. central opening of said bushing, thereby to formdiffer ently colored spiral stripes on the surface of said insulatedconductor;

8. A device for forming difierently. colored coding stripes on aninsulated conductor, comprising a striping head provided with aplurality ofangularly displaced reservoirs for coding materials ofdifferent colors, a bushing provided with a central opening of fixedsize adapted to be traversed by said insulated conductor and havingangularly displaced stripe forming ports through the wall thereof andrespectively communicating with said reservoirs for transmittin thecoding materials from said reservoirs to the surface of said insulatedconductor, and means for detachably mounting said bushing on said headwith said ports communicating with said reservoirs.

9. A device for forming differently colored coding stripes on aninsulated conductor, comprising a rotatable striping head provided witha plurality of angularly displaced reservoirs for coding materials ofdifierent colors, a bushing provided with a central opening of fixedsize adapted to be traversed by said insulated conductor, and havingangularly displaced stripe forming ports through the wall thereof andrespectively communicating with said reservoirs for transmitting thecoding materials from said reservoirs to the surface of said insulatedconductor, means for detachably mounting said bushing on said head withsaid ports communicating with said reservoirs, and means for rotatingsaid head about said insulated conductor,

thereby to form differently colored spiral stripes ductor and havingangularly displaced stripe I forming ports through. thejwall thereofeach communicating with a difierent one of said res ervoirs fortransmitting the coding materials from said reservoirs to the surfaceof.said insulated conductoiy'means for detachablymounting said bushing onsaidhead'with-saidports communicating with said reservoirs, and meansactuated by movement of said conductor for rotating said head about saidinsulated conductors at an angular'speed directly related to the linearspeed of said conductor through the central opening of said bushing,thereby to form diiferently col'ored spiralstripes son :thesurface'io'fsaid insulatedzc"onductor.,-- v

- 11.1 A: device for iforming: differently cclored coding f stripes :onan iinsul'ated': conductor, com-' prising a striping: head-provided witha plurality of; angularly displaced reservoirs forco'ding materials ofdifierent I rcolors, a bushing provided with a central opening adaptedto be' traversed by vsaid insulatedasconductor and having angula'rlydisplacedstripe forming Tp'orts' through. the wall. cthereo'f fortransmitting the coding imaterials'z'fromsaid reservoirs t'o thesurfaceof said insulated conductorpat least one of said ports having a stripeforming dimension idifferentfrom the stripe forming dimensions of theother "ports,

andmeans for rfixedly 'm'ou'riting said bushing onsaid head 'in any oneof aplurality of predetermined different positions wherein said one portcommunicates with a selected one of said reservoirs and the other portsrespectively communicate with the other reservoirs.

12'. A device for forming differently colored coding stripes on aninsulated conductor, comprising a rotatable striping head provided withone port communicates with a selected one of said reservoirs and theother ports respectively communicate with the other reservoirs, andmeans for rotating said head about said insulated conductor, thereby toform differently colored stripes on the surface of said insulatedconductor. 1

13. A device for forming differently colored i coding stripes on aninsulated conductor, commeans forming afp'a'rtho said cad-and operativeto heat said thermoplastic codingjmaterials to a plastic state; closuremeansi'for'said reservoirs including spring l'oaded pistons formaintaining the plastic coding materials'under pressure, a

' bushing provided with a '-centralfopenin --9; apted tachably mountinglsaid bushing on said head,

prising a rotatable striping head provided with l a plurality ofangularly displaced reservoirs for coding materials of difierent colors;a bushing provided with a central opening adapted to be traversed bysaid insulated conductor and having angularly displaced stripe formingports through the wall thereof for transmitting the coding materialsfrom said reservoirs to the surface of said insulated conductor, atleast one of said ports having a stripe forming dimension difierent fromthe stripe forming dimensions of the other ports, means for fixedlymounting said bushing on said head in any one of a plurality ofpredetermined different positions wherein said one port communicateswith a selected one of said reservoirs and the other ports respectivelycommunicate with the other reservoirs, and means actuated by movement ofsaid conductor for rotating said head about said insulated conductor atan angular speed directly related to the linear speed of said conductorthrough the central opening of said bushing, thereby to form differentlycolored spiral stripes on the surface of said insulated conductor.

14. A device for forming differently colored coding stripes. on aninsulated conductor, comprising a striping head provided with aplurality of angularly displaced reservoirs for thermoplastic codingmaterials of different colors, heating to be traversed by said insulatedconductor and having angularly'displaced stripe forming ports throughthe wall. thereof forextruding the coding materials from said reservoirsonto the surface of 3 said insulated I conductor as 'said conductortraverses the central opening through's'aidbush ing, and means fordetachably" mounting said bushing on saidhead with saidpo'rts communi--cating with said reservoirs.v

15. A device 'for forming differently colored codin stripes on'aninsulated conductor, comprising a striping head provided with aplurality of angularly displaced "reservoirs for thermos plastic codingmaterials of different colors,v e1ectric heating elements "disposedon'e'ither side of said head thereof for 'heatingsaid(thermoplasticcoding materials to a"'plastic state, closure means for said're'servoirsincludingtsprin'gjlo'aded pistons for maintaining the plastic icodingmaterials, un-

der pressure' a bliSllillgQl'OVidEdfWith"a. central opening adapted tobe traversed b'y'insiilated con ductor and having angularly displacedstripe forming ports thro'ugh the. wan-thereof for 9X4 truding; theplastic coding "materials, from, said reservoirs onto the surface ofsaid insulated conductor assaid' conductor traverses the central openingthrough said bushing, 'and'meansfor dewi'th saidport's communicatingwith said reservoirs.

16. A device for forming differently colored coding stripes on aninsulated conductor, comprising a striping head provided with aplurality of angularly displaced reservoirs for thermoplastic codingmaterials of different colors, electric heating elements disposed oneither side of said head for heating said thermoplastic coding materialsto a plastic state, closure means for said reservoirs including springloaded pistons for maintaining the plastic coding materials underpressure, a bushing'provided with a central opening adapted to betraversed by said insulated conductor and having angularly displacedstripe forming ports through the wall thereof for extruding the plasticmaterials from said reservoirs onto the surface of said insulatedconductor, at least one of said ports having a stripe forming dimensiondifferent from the stripe forming dimensions of the other ports, andmeans for fixedly mounting said bushing on said head in any one of aplurality of predetermined diiferent positions whereinsaid one portcommunicates with a selected one of said reservoirs and the otherheating elements disposed on either sideof said head for heating saidthermoplastic coding materials to a plastic state, closure means forsaid reservoirs including spring loaded pistons for maintaining theplastic coding materials under pressure, a bushing provided with acentral opening adapted to be traversed by said insulated conductor andhaving angularly displaced stripe V forming ports through the wallthereof for ex- 11 truding the plastic materials from said reservoironto the surface of said insulated conductor, at least one of said portshavinga stripe forming dimension different from; the stripe formingdimensions of the other ports, means for, fixedly,

through the central opening of said bushing,

thereby to form differently colored spiral stripes on thesurface of saidinsulatedconductor.

18. Appar'atus for forming a, color coded insulating covering on anelectrical conductor which conductor has a covering of thermoplasticinsulating material extruded thereon, abushing having a central openingadapted to be traversed by said covered conductor while the material isin a plastic state and provided with central opening walls whichassistin forming the thermoplastic insulating material mma' covering beforethe material sets, said bushing having a stripe forming port through thewall thereof for transmitting colored coding material to the surface ofsaid covering,. and means for extruding color coding material onto thesurface of said covering through said port while said thermoplasticinsulating material is in said bushing and before said thermoplasticmaterial has set.

19.'Apparatus for forming a color coded insulating covering on anelectrical conductor,

which conductor has a covering of thermoplastic insulating materialextruded thereon, abushing having a central opening adapted to 'betraversed by saidcovered conductor whilesaid material is in a plastic.state and providedwithcentral opening walls which assist informing thethermoplastic insulating material into a covering before the materialsets, said bushinghaving a stripe formingport through the wall thereoffor trans-' mitting colored coding materialto the surface of saidcovering, means for extruding color coding material onto the surface ofsaid covering through said port while said-thermoplastic insulatingmaterial is within said. bushing'and'b'e fore said thermoplasticinsulating material has set, and means for rotating'saidbushing aboutsaid conductor, whereby said port traces a, helical path around saidconductor as said 'conduc'tor traverses the central opening of saidbushing.

' HANS. D. 'ISENBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the fileof-this patent: V

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